[TheForge] Period power hammer?

[Peter Hirst]

David:

As I think I touched on in my earlier reply, 100 years doesn't much matter 
for my particular purposes.  My area was being settled by dissidents from 
the Plymoth Colony when Oliver was in power.  The maritime industries, which 
would have included marine chain making, became more important as the years 
went on, so I believe an oliver might be just what I am looking for.  I 
would greatly appreciate a copy of your entire article if it is still 
available, and especially any pictures, drawings or photos.  This sounds 
like something I am going to have to reproduce rather than find, so measured 
drawings would be the best if you know of any.

thanks so much for your input

pgh
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David E. Smucker" <davesmucker at hotmail.com>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 7:13 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Period power hammer?


> Philip,  I may be in error by a 100 years.  Here is a quote from an 
> article I did for the AACB Newsletter back in 2003.
>
> This past January I had the good fortune to take part in a Treadle Hammer 
> workshop that was held in Birmingham, Alabama.  I have lots to tell you 
> about that workshop but first I want to take some time to look at 
> background on the Treadle Hammer and discuss some of the engineering 
> behind the Clay Spencer In Line Hammers that we built.
>
> I have heard some folks say that the treadle hammer is a rather modern 
> invention since "blacksmiths used to always have strikers, so why would 
> they need a treadle hammer - labor was cheap you know."  The fact is that 
> treadle hammers have been around since at least the 18th century and most 
> likely a little earlier.  Records show that they were used in the chain 
> making trade in the 1700's in England.  The Royal Navy, British merchant 
> ships and industry were using a great deal of chain in general.  The 
> largest chain tended to be made by men but most of the common size chain 
> was manufactured under sweatshop conditions by women.  One of the tools 
> they used was a 25 to 50 pound treadle hammer that they called an 
> "Oliver".   (Named after Oliver "the hammer" Cromwell who led the 
> Parliamentarian victory in the English Civil War 1642-1649.)  Anyone who 
> has tried making chain will see the advantage of having two hands to hold 
> the work while "striking" with your foot.  British chain making was a 
> cutthroat business and even with cheap labor there just were not extra 
> hands.  Work was done as piecework and workers paid directly for their 
> material and fuel out of the wages they received for finished chain.
>
> The Old Sturbridge Village Blacksmith Shop in Sturbridge, MA has a treadle 
> hammer that dates from around 1830.  It used a "wooden spring", treadle, 
> and had its own custom anvil set very close to the floor."
>
>
>
> So much for using your memory.  But Cromwell was 1600's and the name would 
> have come somewhere close to the English Civil War of 1642 - to 1649. 
> What I don't have in front of me is my orginal notes and where I got the 
> above information.  Most likely from an internet search.  I do some more 
> looking for that.
>
>
>
> Dave Smucker
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Saint Phlip" <phlip at 99main.com>
> To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 5:37 PM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Period power hammer?
>
>
>> Dave- do you have some documentation for treadle hammers from about
>> 1600? Inquiring SCAdians need to know ;-)
>>
>> On Jan 2, 2008 3:31 PM, David E. Smucker <davesmucker at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> Consider both a treadle hammer and / or a flypress.  In a one or two 
>>> person
>>> shop you can do almost anything you can do with a small power hammer --  
>>> only
>>> slower with more heats.  Treadle hammers date from the 1600's and were 
>>> used
>>> in making chain.  Flypress are newer, but at least 200 years old.
>>>
>>> Dave Smucker
>>
>> -- 
>> Saint Phlip
>>
>> Heat it up
>> Hit it hard
>> Repent as necessary.
>>
>> Priorities:
>>
>> It's the smith who makes the tools, not the tools which make the smith.
>>
>> .I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary
>> notices I have read with pleasure. -Clarence Darrow
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>
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